I always dread the end of the school year. There is so much pressure put on students regarding end of grade standardized testing. The teachers have pressure put on them for their students to perform well, so many of them in turn put pressure on the students. This can cause even the best of students stress and anxiety. So what about the children with learning disabilities? Research has shown that these students experience more stress and anxiety on tests than their non learning disabled peers. So imagine having to cope with your disability as well as an added amount of stress.
I personally don't agree that all children's competence or knowledge can be assessed by the format of standardized tests. As we have hopefully become more aware over the past several years, children learn differently and need to be afforded differentiation in instructional and evaluative strategies. Not all children learn through pencil and paper question and answer (especially the LD child), which is the format of the standardized tests. This being said, standardized end of grade tests are the reality and we need to know how to prepare our children best for them.If your child has been diagnosed with a learning disability, the best way to be sure that they succeed to the best of their ability in school and on standardized tests is to meet with the school and set up an Individual Education Program (IEP). Not only will the IEP list goals and objectives appropriate for your child, it can also allow him modifications for the classroom and accommodations for classroom and standardized tests. Examples of accommodations for testing could be having items read to child, extended time, multiple test sessions, child marks in book, large print, or having a scribe for written answers. These are only a few, and they vary
depending on the disability.
As stated in an article on Learningdisabilities.about.com, Testing Accommodations - What are Testing Accommodations?, there can be benefits, as well as some pitfalls, to accommodations. If the accommodations are done properly, I personally feel they far outweigh the pitfalls. The parent and the school team members need to be sure to only use accommodations that directly relate to the child's disability. When this is done, I feel that it gives the LD student the self confidence and opportunity to meet the child's full potential on standardized tests. It is stated in the article that the overuse of accommodations may lead to over inflation of scores and that this may lead teachers to overestimate the child's skills. Is it wrong to think that a standardized test should not be the only tool that the school should use to monitor the LD child's (or any child for that matter) progress? Shouldn't their progress and skill level be evaluated on the culmination of their work throughout the year?
No matter how the teacher evaluates the child, end of grade standardized tests have become an important part of our children's academic school year. Therefor, it is up to us as parents to do whatever we can to help our children succeed to the best of their ability. Making sure that their anxiety level is as low as possible and all of the appropriate testing accommodations are in place are a great start in ensuring their success.
*On a personal note-For the first two years my daughter has had end of grade standardized tests we have had her participate in an online program called Study Island. Some school systems provide it, but if it doesn't, the program can be purchased independently. If you purchase it independently, as for North Carolina, it is $59 per grade level. The program simulates end of grade test questions by subject based on each state's Standard Course of Study. The program is purchased according to the state the student lives in. As well as asking questions pertaining to the Standard Course of Study, Study Island also gets the student acclimated with the testing process and format. Let me state that I am not associated with Study Island in any way.
Hello, and thank you for this post. High stakes testing for kids with disabilities doesn't get too much coverage. I am an RSP teacher with a five-year-old autistic son. When standardized testing comes around for him there is a good chance we will opt out. I am unconvinced of the value of end-of-year standardized tests especially as most students are adequately assessed during the year with other less stressful measures. High stakes tests serve administrators and politicians, not my son. Also, although we do provide accommodations during testing there is not much we can offer that, per state testing rules, doesn't automatically change a score to Far Below Basic. Solution: just say no unless someone can prove to you that high stakes testing helps your child.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment. It is important to note, as you stated in your comment, that students with disabilities do have other options under IDEA 97 when it comes to standardized tests and can opt out. Each state has its own regulations regarding this matter.
ReplyDeleteMy mother is a retired special education teacher and I taught regular ed for 8 years before I had children. This topic became particularly important to me when my learning disabled daughter reached 3rd grade, the grade in which high stakes testing begins in the state we reside.